Two police cars hit in early-morning chase through Tonawandas

Two City of Tonawanda police cars were smashed, one intentionally, during a lengthy chase that zigzagged back and forth through the City and Town of Tonawanda early Tuesday morning, authorities said. No serious injuries were reported.

The incident began at about 1:20 a.m., after City of Tonawanda police attempted to stop a speeding southbound vehicle that passed a police car with its emergency lights activated on Delaware Street, police said.

The chase began south on Delaware before heading into the town, where the pursued vehicle stopped briefly at Delaware Avenue and Canterbury Lane, but the driver refused to get out of the car. The chase then continued, going west and then east on Canterbury Lane, east and then west on Zimmerman Boulevard and also on Colvin Boulevard.

At various times, the fleeing car drove over four front lawns on Canterbury, Colvin and Zimmerman, while also smashing into a tree, a light pole, street signs and some bushes, according to police reports. The chase ended on Zimmerman Boulevard, where the two cars were struck.

“He intentionally rammed the front end of one police cruiser while he was continuing to flee,” City of Tonawanda Police Capt. Michael Rogers said.

After the vehicle once again spun out and landed on a Zimmerman Bouwlevard lawn in the town, the driver jumped out of the car and was later apprehended in some bushes on nearby Traverse Boulevard, Town of Tonawanda Police Lt. Nicholas A. Bado said.

The driver, Jacob W. Bell, 55, of West Utica Street, Buffalo, faces more than 10 charges from the two police agencies.

City of Tonawanda police have charged him with driving while intoxicated, speeding, failure to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle and driving with a suspended license, among other charges, Rogers said.

Town of Tonawanda police charged Bell with two counts each of attempted assault on a police officer and criminal mischief, authorities said.